Steve Rixon, whose full name is Stephen John Rixon, is a former Australian international wicketkeeper-batter and an influential cricket coach. Born on February 25, 1954, in Albury, New South Wales, he represented Australia in 13 Test matches and six One Day Internationals between 1977 and 1985. Although competition with fellow Australian wicketkeeper Rod Marsh restricted his international opportunities, Rixon built an extensive domestic career with New South Wales before becoming a successful coach. His coaching career included New Zealand, New South Wales, Surrey and the national teams of Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In April 2023, Cricket NSW inducted him into its Hall of Fame, recognizing his contribution as a player, coach and mentor. ICC+2
Steve Rixon Career Stats
| Format | Career | Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Bat Avg | 50s | 100s | Wickets | BBI | Bowl Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TESTCareer source | 1977–1985 | 13 | 24 | 394 | 54 | 18.76 | — | — | — | – | — |
| ODIReconciled source snapshot | 1978–1985 | 6 | 6 | 40 | 20* | 13.33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
This compact table is rendered directly from the shared per-format source selection; recorded-only rows are explicitly labelled. Detailed opponent, venue, year and dismissal analysis remains on the full stats page.
Steve Rixon
/cricket-player/steve-rixon/Each format uses one source consistently. Recorded-only figures are labelled separately.
Career source
Reconciled source snapshot
Steve Rixon Quick Facts
| Profile | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Stephen John Rixon |
| Common name | Steve Rixon |
| Nickname | Stumper |
| Date of birth | February 25, 1954 |
| Age | 72 years (as of October 28, 2026) |
| Birthplace | Albury, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Profession | Former cricketer and cricket coach |
| Primary role | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Batting style | Right-handed |
| International team | Australia |
| Domestic team | New South Wales |
| Test appearances | 13 |
| ODI appearances | 6 |
| First-Class matches | 151 |
| First-Class runs | 4,303 |
| Test debut | December 2, 1977, against India |
| ODI debut | February 22, 1978, against West Indies |
| Highest Test score | 54 |
| Highest First-Class score | 128 |
| Major coaching achievement | Multiple domestic titles with New South Wales |
| Major recognition | Cricket NSW Hall of Fame, 2023 |
| Current status | Former international player and coach; no current national-team appointment independently confirmed |
The profile and career figures are supported by CricketArchive and established cricket-profile records. Cricket Archive+2
Who Is Steve Rixon? His Early Life and Cricket Development
Steve Rixon grew up in Albury, a regional city in New South Wales, Australia. His early cricket development eventually took him from local club cricket into the state’s senior competition, where he established himself as a wicketkeeper who could also contribute runs in the lower middle order.
Rixon’s early promise attracted attention during the 1970–71 season. According to Cricbuzz’s career summary, his wicketkeeping stood out in a club match involving the touring Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), and the respected English wicketkeeper Alan Knott praised his glovework. This recognition came well before Rixon made his senior debut for New South Wales. Cricbuzz+1
Steve Rixon’s early cricket pathway
- Hometown: Albury, New South Wales.
- Early exposure: Club cricket during the 1970–71 season.
- First-grade cricket: Waverley Cricket Club, now known as Eastern Suburbs Cricket Club, on September 30, 1972.
- First-Class debut: New South Wales against Queensland at the Gabba on October 25, 1974.
- Subsequent club association: Western Suburbs District Cricket Club from October 10, 1975.
These milestones demonstrate a progression through Australian club cricket rather than an immediate jump from junior cricket into international selection. Keepers Sport+1
Publicly accessible sources consulted for this biography do not establish a complete account of Rixon’s school education, university qualifications, parents’ occupations or childhood household circumstances. Those details should not be supplied without stronger evidence.
Steve Rixon’s Domestic Career with New South Wales
Rixon’s New South Wales career was the foundation of his reputation. He made his First-Class debut against Queensland at Brisbane’s Gabba on October 25, 1974, under captain Doug Walters. He subsequently became a regular part of the state’s cricket structure and continued playing First-Class cricket through the 1987–88 season. Keepers Sport+1
His domestic record demonstrates why he remained a respected player even though his international appearances were limited. Across 151 First-Class matches, he scored 4,303 runs, including six centuries and 14 half-centuries. His highest score was 128.
Steve Rixon’s First-Class statistics
| Statistic | Career record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 151 |
| Innings | 221 |
| Not outs | 35 |
| Runs | 4,303 |
| Batting average | 23.13 |
| Highest score | 128 |
| Centuries | 6 |
| Half-centuries | 14 |
| Catches | 394 |
| Stumpings | 66 |
Source: CricketArchive’s career record. Cricket Archive+1
His 460 recorded catches and stumpings combined illustrate the scale of his contribution behind the stumps. These are First-Class career figures, not international totals.
New South Wales and the Sheffield Shield
Rixon played in two Sheffield Shield-winning New South Wales sides during his playing career, including the team that won the competition’s 1982–83 final in Perth and ended a 17-year state title drought. His wicketkeeping record for New South Wales is reported as 248 catches and 50 stumpings in the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame coverage reproduced by Sutherland District Cricket Club. cricconnect.com+1
His state career also included more than individual statistics. He became the second player to reach 100 First-Class appearances for New South Wales, after Doug Walters, according to the club’s historical account.
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Steve Rixon’s Australia Career: Test and ODI Cricket
Rixon’s international career took place during a period of significant change in Australian cricket. His wicketkeeping ability earned him selection, but he faced competition from Rod Marsh, one of Australia’s leading wicketkeepers of the era. The emergence and return of established players affected how often Rixon could represent his country. Cricbuzz+1
Steve Rixon’s Test career
Rixon made his Test debut against India at the Gabba in Brisbane on December 2, 1977. He went on to play 13 Tests for Australia, with his final appearance coming against the West Indies in December 1984.
| Test statistic | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 13 |
| Batting innings | 24 |
| Runs | 394 |
| Batting average | 18.76 |
| Highest score | 54 |
| Half-centuries | 2 |
| Centuries | 0 |
| Catches | 42 |
| Stumpings | 5 |
Cricket Archive+1
His highest Test score was 54. As a wicketkeeper batting in the middle and lower order, Rixon was expected to provide support to the specialist batters while maintaining his primary responsibilities behind the stumps.
For readers who want his complete match-by-match Test record, the player statistics page can provide a deeper numerical view:
Explore Steve Rixon's complete Test stats
Steve Rixon’s ODI career
Rixon made his One Day International debut against the West Indies at the Antigua Recreation Ground on February 22, 1978. His final ODI was against India at Sharjah on March 29, 1985. He played six ODIs, scoring 40 runs with a highest score of 20 not out. Cricket Archive+1
| ODI statistic | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 6 |
| Innings | 6 |
| Runs | 40 |
| Batting average | 13.33 |
| Highest score | 20 not out |
| Catches | 9 |
| Stumpings | 2 |
His ODI appearances were limited compared with his domestic career. The available record does not support presenting him as a major run-scoring force in international one-day cricket; his principal value was as a wicketkeeper and lower-order batter.
His full ODI record is available through:
See Steve Rixon's complete ODI stats
Why Steve Rixon played relatively little international cricket
Rixon’s relatively small international sample needs to be understood in context. Rod Marsh was Australia’s established wicketkeeper, and Rixon’s opportunities were affected by the competition for that position. Cricket NSW’s historical account notes that ten of Rixon’s 13 Tests came during the World Series Cricket years, while his final three followed Marsh’s retirement. cricconnect.com+1
A further complication was the involvement of Australian players in rebel tours of South Africa during the apartheid era. Rixon’s participation in that period is cited in cricket biographies as a factor in his subsequent international prospects. The precise selection decisions should be assessed against contemporary records rather than reduced to a single unsupported explanation.
Steve Rixon’s Career Timeline
| Date / period | Team or level | Career development |
|---|---|---|
| 1970–71 | Club cricket | Attracted attention for his wicketkeeping during the MCC tour period |
| September 30, 1972 | Waverley first grade | Made his first-grade debut |
| October 25, 1974 | New South Wales | Made his First-Class debut against Queensland |
| October 10, 1975 | Western Suburbs | Made his first-grade debut for the club |
| December 2, 1977 | Australia | Made his Test debut against India |
| February 22, 1978 | Australia | Made his ODI debut against West Indies |
| 1982–83 | New South Wales | Part of the Sheffield Shield-winning side |
| 1987–88 | New South Wales | Ended his First-Class playing career |
| 1989–95 | New South Wales | First major coaching period, with multiple domestic titles |
| 1996–99 | New Zealand | Coached the national team |
| 2000–04 | New South Wales | Returned for another successful coaching period |
| 2004 onward | Surrey and other roles | Moved into further domestic, franchise and international coaching appointments |
| 2011 | Australia | Appointed national fielding coach |
| 2016–18 | Pakistan | Served as fielding coach |
| December 2018–2019 World Cup period | Sri Lanka | Appointed fielding coach |
| April 5, 2023 | Cricket NSW | Inducted into the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame |
The timeline combines the historical club account, cricket records and official coaching announcements. Dates for coaching periods are approximate where the available sources do not provide exact appointment and departure days. Keepers Sport+3
Steve Rixon’s Coaching Career: From New South Wales to International Cricket
Rixon’s most significant achievements arguably came after his playing career. He became known for building competitive teams, establishing standards and developing players, particularly during his two periods coaching New South Wales. His subsequent appointments in New Zealand, England, India and three international coaching environments expanded his influence beyond Australian domestic cricket. IMG Cricket+1
New South Wales coach: Building a successful domestic side
Rixon took charge of New South Wales for the 1989–90 season after coaching at club level. The appointment proved successful almost immediately: New South Wales won the Sheffield Shield in his first season in charge.
During his first six-year spell, from 1989–90 to 1994–95, the state won three Sheffield Shield titles and three domestic one-day competitions, according to the historical coaching profile hosted by ESPNcricinfo. IMG Cricket+1
His influence extended into club cricket. During his time with Sutherland District Cricket Club, the club won its first first-grade premiership in 1995–96 and also secured the second-grade premiership that season.
Rixon returned to coach New South Wales in 2000–01. In the following four years, the team won another Sheffield Shield title and three additional one-day competitions. The combined record from his two major coaching spells made him one of the most successful coaches in the state’s modern history. cricconnect.com+1
New South Wales coaching achievements
- Sheffield Shield title in his first season as coach.
- Three Sheffield Shield titles and three one-day competition titles during his first six-year spell.
- A further Sheffield Shield title during his second period.
- Three additional one-day competition titles during his second period.
- Continued involvement in club development and the wider New South Wales cricket community.
The precise totals above describe the achievements reported in the historical accounts, rather than a claim that every competition was won in a separate season.
Steve Rixon as New Zealand coach
Rixon coached New Zealand from May 1996 until August 1999. His appointment gave him responsibility for an international team rather than a state side, requiring him to work with players from a different domestic system and cricket culture. IMG Cricket+1
New Zealand became more competitive during this period, and Rixon’s coaching tenure is associated with a more disciplined, hard-to-beat team. Historical accounts also connect his time in charge with a notable Test-series victory over England. The specific series and match results should be checked against the relevant scorecards before being used to claim a particular tactical or statistical record.
His New Zealand role established him as an international head coach and opened the way for later appointments in county cricket and international support roles.
Surrey and English county cricket
In January 2004, Surrey appointed Rixon as cricket manager for two seasons. He was expected to arrive at The Oval after his New South Wales contract ended in March. At the time, Surrey were hiring a coach with a strong recent record in Australian domestic cricket. ABC News+1
The appointment was a significant move into English county cricket. It followed his successful New South Wales coaching work and his earlier international experience with New Zealand.
Some later cricket summaries describe difficulties surrounding the end of his Surrey tenure. A precise account of the contractual dispute would require stronger primary documentation than the short historical summaries located for this biography, so no unsupported allegation or detailed legal conclusion is included here.
Franchise cricket and the Chennai Super Kings connection
Rixon also worked in franchise cricket, including coaching the Hyderabad Heroes in the Indian Cricket League and taking a fielding-coaching role with the Chennai Super Kings.
The distinction between these appointments matters: his involvement with the Chennai Super Kings was a coaching role, not an IPL playing contract. His work in franchise environments also formed part of a wider career that included state-team management and international fielding coaching. Cricbuzz+1
Steve Rixon as Australia’s Fielding Coach
On June 28, 2011, Cricket Australia appointed Rixon as the national team’s fielding coach, replacing Mike Young. The announcement emphasized Australia’s intention to improve fielding standards after a disappointing Ashes campaign. ICC+1
Rixon’s appointment drew on both his playing background as a wicketkeeper and his experience coaching successful teams. His job was to help restore fielding as a defining strength of Australian cricket, with his initial assignment including tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa.
This appointment is an important part of his biography because it shows the shift from coaching entire domestic teams to working in a specialist role within a national coaching structure.
Steve Rixon’s Pakistan Cricket Team Role
Rixon joined Pakistan’s coaching setup in June 2016 as fielding coach, following a recommendation from head coach Mickey Arthur. He remained in the role until 2018. The Pakistan Cricket Board appointment was part of a broader coaching overhaul aimed at improving the team’s standards. Wikipedia+1
His two-year tenure covered a period in which Pakistan competed in major international cricket and continued to develop its fielding structure. Rixon’s specialist role focused on fielding rather than serving as the national team’s head coach.
The appointment also connected him with a cricket environment where fielding standards had frequently been discussed alongside the team’s batting and bowling strengths. Claims about the exact statistical improvement in Pakistan’s fielding should be supported by a defined measure and time period; broad praise alone does not establish a numerical improvement.
Steve Rixon’s Sri Lanka Coaching Appointment
In December 2018, Sri Lanka Cricket announced that Rixon would become the national side’s fielding coach until the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. The appointment was confirmed by the ICC on December 8, 2018. ICC
Sri Lanka Cricket’s chief executive, Ashley De Silva, welcomed Rixon’s experience and specifically highlighted the importance of fielding to the team. The arrangement also involved the existing fielding coach, Manoj Abeywickrema, moving to the High Performance Center to work with development squads.
Rixon’s Sri Lanka appointment continued the specialist coaching path he had followed with Australia and Pakistan. In March 2019, he was also handed coaching duties during Sri Lanka’s tour of South Africa, according to historical biographical records. ICC+1
Steve Rixon’s Records, Wicketkeeping and Playing Style
Rixon was principally a wicketkeeper-batter. His international batting figures were modest, but his longer domestic record gives a clearer picture of his value: he accumulated more than 4,000 First-Class runs while recording hundreds of dismissals behind the stumps.
Major career statistics
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Highest score | Catches | Stumpings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 13 | 394 | 18.76 | 54 | 42 | 5 |
| ODI | 6 | 40 | 13.33 | 20* | 9 | 2 |
| First-Class | 151 | 4,303 | 23.13 | 128 | 394 | 66 |
| List A | 53 | 434 | 14.96 | 52 | 64 | 12 |
*The asterisk indicates not out. Career totals are drawn from CricketArchive’s statistical record. Cricket Archive+1
What the statistics tell us
- Wicketkeeping: His First-Class record of 394 catches and 66 stumpings reflects his long service behind the stumps.
- Lower-order batting: Six First-Class centuries and a highest score of 128 show that he could produce substantial innings in addition to his keeping duties.
- International opportunities: His 13 Tests and six ODIs were considerably fewer than his domestic appearances.
- Coaching transition: His later success in coaching suggests that his contribution to cricket should be assessed through both playing and coaching records.
For deeper statistical exploration across the formats in which he played:
View Steve Rixon's complete first-class stats
Explore Steve Rixon's complete List A record
Readers can also explore other players and compare career records using the site’s general statistics tool:
Explore the complete cricket player statistics database
Steve Rixon’s Awards and Cricket NSW Hall of Fame Induction
Sri Lanka appoint Steve Rixon as fielding coach | Cricket
On April 5, 2023, Steve Rixon was inducted into the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame at the Steve Waugh Medal Awards night. Cricket NSW’s official Hall of Fame list includes Rixon among its 2023 inductees. cricketnsw.com.au+1
The honour recognized a career that extended well beyond his 19 international appearances across Tests and ODIs. His contributions included:
- Playing for New South Wales over more than a decade.
- Winning Sheffield Shield titles as a player and coach.
- Coaching successful New South Wales teams across multiple competitions.
- Coaching New Zealand’s national side.
- Serving as a specialist fielding coach for Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
- Remaining involved in New South Wales club cricket and its wider cricket community.
He had previously been made a Life Member of Cricket NSW in 1996 and a Life Member of Sutherland District Cricket Club in 2010. He also served as Sutherland’s club president from 2006 to 2015. cricconnect.com+1
Steve Rixon’s Family, Wife, Children and Personal Life
Searches for Steve Rixon’s family and personal life do not produce a sufficiently complete, authoritative public biography to establish all the commonly requested details.
CricketArchive records a son identified as D. Rixon in its relations field. However, the abbreviated entry does not independently establish the person’s full name, occupation or further personal details. Cricket Archive+1
For accuracy, the following distinctions are important:
- Children: A cricket database records a son, but the available reference does not justify expanding the entry into a detailed family profile.
- Wife or partner: A spouse’s identity and relationship details have not been independently established from the reliable sources consulted.
- Parents and siblings: Their names and occupations have not been verified through sufficiently strong public sources.
- Education and height: Reliable, consistent details were not established in the sources reviewed.
These gaps should not be filled using unverified celebrity-biography pages or copied claims from aggregators.
Steve Rixon’s Net Worth, Salary and Business Interests
No dependable, independently verified estimate of Steve Rixon’s personal net worth was established from the financial and cricket sources consulted for this biography.
His career included paid positions as a state-team coach, county cricket manager, franchise coach and national fielding coach. Those professional roles establish that he had a substantial career in cricket, but they do not reveal his total earnings, assets, investments or liabilities.
It would therefore be misleading to publish a specific net-worth figure or salary without credible financial disclosure. No sufficiently authoritative public record was established here for his personal investments, business ownership or endorsement income.
Steve Rixon’s Current Status in 2026
As of October 28, 2026, Rixon is 72 years old and is best documented publicly as a former Australian international wicketkeeper-batter and long-serving cricket coach. His most recent major institutional recognition identified in the sources reviewed is his 2023 induction into the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame. cricketnsw.com.au+1
A recent podcast episode published in August 2026 also featured Rixon discussing his playing career, coaching work and experiences in Australian and international cricket. This indicates continued public engagement with his cricket history, but it does not establish a new coaching appointment. Apple Podcasts+1
No current national-team or franchise coaching appointment was independently confirmed for him as of the research date. It is more accurate to describe his current position in terms of his documented career and public appearances than to assign him an active coaching role without an official announcement.
conclusion
Steve Rixon’s career illustrates the difference between international visibility and a wider contribution to cricket. His playing career was limited by competition for Australia’s wicketkeeping position, but his domestic record was extensive and his later coaching achievements were substantial.
His success with New South Wales, international work with New Zealand, and fielding-coaching appointments with Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka gave him influence across several cricket systems. His Cricket NSW Hall of Fame induction in 2023 formally recognized that breadth of contribution.
Rixon is therefore best understood not simply through his 13 Tests and six ODIs, but through the combination of domestic wicketkeeping, state-team success and decades of coaching.
Steve Rixon FAQs
How old is Steve Rixon?
Steve Rixon was born on February 25, 1954. He was 72 years old on October 28, 2026. Cricket Archive+1
What was Steve Rixon’s role in cricket?
Rixon was a right-handed wicketkeeper-batter for Australia and New South Wales. After retiring from First-Class cricket, he became a successful coach at domestic, franchise and international levels.
How many Tests did Steve Rixon play for Australia?
He played 13 Test matches, scoring 394 runs at an average of 18.76, with a highest score of 54. He also recorded 42 catches and five stumpings in Tests. Cricket Archive+1
What were Steve Rixon’s First-Class career statistics?
He played 151 First-Class matches, scoring 4,303 runs at an average of 23.13. His highest score was 128, and he recorded six centuries and 14 half-centuries. Cricket Archive+1
Which teams did Steve Rixon coach?
His documented coaching career includes New South Wales, New Zealand, Surrey, Hyderabad Heroes, Chennai Super Kings, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. These appointments covered domestic coaching, county cricket, franchise cricket and international fielding roles. Cricbuzz+1
Why was Steve Rixon’s international career relatively short?
Competition with Rod Marsh restricted his opportunities as Australia’s wicketkeeper. His career also overlapped with the World Series Cricket era and the South African rebel-tour period, which affected selection prospects for several Australian players. Cricbuzz+1
When was Steve Rixon inducted into the Cricket NSW Hall of Fame?
He was inducted on April 5, 2023, at the Steve Waugh Medal Awards night. His induction recognized his long contribution as a player, coach and mentor in New South Wales cricket. cricketnsw.com.au+1
Is Steve Rixon still coaching?
No current national-team or franchise coaching appointment was verified in the sources reviewed as of October 28, 2026. His documented coaching career includes earlier roles with Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
What is Steve Rixon’s net worth?
No dependable public estimate of his net worth was independently verified. His coaching appointments are documented, but a reliable calculation of his total wealth is not available from the sources consulted.
Does Steve Rixon have children?
CricketArchive records a son in its relations field, but the available entry does not provide enough independently verified detail for a fuller family biography.